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The Rural Guardian
New Halter technology gives farmers a head start on calving
Halter’s new calving detection feature uses collar behaviour data to alert farmers when a cow is calving, helping them prioritise checks and respond sooner. Supplied A new calving detection tool is giving farmers an early heads-up when cows are calving, using behaviour data already being collected through Halter’s virtual fencing collars. The feature analyses changes in cow behaviour and sends an alert directly to a farmer’s Halter app when signs of calving are detected, help
3 days ago3 min read
From the editor: Moving the dial on safety
Growing up on a farm, the dangers that came with working in our sector were ingrained in us from a young age. We all had near misses, even as children. It was almost a rite of passage. On quad bikes, driving the farm ute, working in the yards and discovering very quickly what happens when you get on the wrong side of a sheep. Most of the time, they were just that. Near misses. Sadly, some weren’t. We lost young members of our community in farm accidents in relatively quick su
3 days ago3 min read
Helping rural women understand the hormonal ‘why’
A new Mid Canterbury summit aims to cut through conflicting health advice and help women better understand what is happening in their bodies. Lauren Stokes hopes the Women’s Hormone Summit will help rural women better understand their health and feel less alone. Women struggling with heavy periods, sleepless nights, hot flushes or unexplained fatigue are too often left confused and unsure where to turn, says Mid Canterbury naturopath Lauren Stokes. It is a pattern Stokes sees
6 days ago3 min read
Rarotonga: Beyond the postcard
Island wisdom, delivered without fuss: a weathered sign offers a reminder that poor quality is remembered long after a bargain is forgotten. A rain-soaked family escape to Rarotonga delivered spectacular snorkelling, slow days and a reminder of what it takes to live and grow food on a remote Pacific island. The first thing I noticed when we stepped from the plane in Rarotonga was the air. Warm, sweet and impossibly soft, it felt like a balm after the chilly, damp days Christc
Aug 319 min read
From Scotland to Waipara: The music promoter betting big on rural Canterbury
Waipara Winehouse has undergone extensive refurbishment since Stuart and Judith Clumpas took ownership in 2023. When Scottish music promoter Stuart Clumpas first visited Waipara Winehouse three years ago, he immediately saw an opportunity. The vineyards. The wide North Canterbury skies. The proximity to Christchurch, while still feeling unmistakably rural. “I looked at it and thought: this could really work,” he says. Now, just a few years later, Stuart Clumpas with wife and
Aug 315 min read
A recipe for community
From left, Emily Horne, Natasha Moore, photographer Liv Gorman, Jess Letham and Lauren Pearce, part of the team behind A Lauriston Harvest. A new cookbook from Lauriston School is serving up much more than tried-and-true recipes, capturing the people, memories and community spirit of a small Mid Canterbury school along the way. There is a particular kind of culinary nostalgia attached to recipes handed down through families. They are the cakes made for every family birthday
Aug 313 min read
The beauty in the ordinary: Kelly Shakespeare’s Lincoln Project
Kelly Shakespeare is photographing the ordinary. Old sheds. Quiet streets. Faded shopfronts. Brick homes with overgrown gardens. Hand-painted signs. Rusted roofs. The kind of places most people drive past without a second thought. But in a rapidly growing town like Lincoln, those ordinary places are disappearing fast. And Shakespeare knows it. “I’ll photograph something and six months later it’s gone and replaced by new houses,” she says. “That’s become a big driver for me. I
Aug 244 min read
Ravensdown backs Canterbury A&P Show’s return to its rural roots
The Canterbury A&P Show’s return to its traditional Wednesday-to-Friday format has gained a significant vote of confidence, with farmer-owned co-operative Ravensdown signing on as naming-rights sponsor for the next two years. Now known as the Ravensdown Canterbury A&P Show, the partnership comes as the Canterbury A&P Association continues to strengthen the event’s financial position and sharpen its focus on agriculture, farmers and the rural businesses that have long been at
Aug 244 min read
Go hard or go home: Rural school raffles Ranger for new playground
Ashley Rakahuri School pupils get behind the PTA’s ambitious Ford Ranger raffle fundraiser for a new playground. From left: Emmy Gregory-Hunt, Brody Gregory-Hunt, Stevie Dyer, Lucy Young, Zoey Gascoyne, Milla Dyer, Evie Clifford and Beaudan Clifford. Supplied. After five years of fundraising for a new playground, Ashley Rakahuri School parents realised they were facing a frustrating problem. They were raising money, but inflation was rising almost as quickly. “We were finding
Aug 243 min read
Hurst sets direction for Federated Farmers
South Canterbury farmer Colin Hurst says his new role as national president of Federated Farmers is about service, teamwork and ensuring farmers have a strong voice where decisions are made. The mixed arable and dairy farmer from the Waimate area was elected president at Federated Farmers’ annual meeting in June after serving three years as vice-president. For Hurst, the presidency continues a commitment to giving back to the farming community. “It is about community service
Aug 173 min read
Students turn rural roots into business with purpose
The back of The Rural Collective jersey carries the message: “Behind every farm is a mind that matters.” A group of Year 13 students from Christchurch Girls’ High School have launched a rural clothing business with a purpose, using their own farming backgrounds to support conversations around wellbeing in rural communities. The Rural Collective was founded by Lucy Honeywell, Grace McKnight, Maddy Judd, Millie McAlistair and Georgia Henderson, who all board at Acland House and
Aug 175 min read
Rural quiz puts fun first in wellbeing conversation
BetterMan founders Ryan Astle, Todd Astle and Ged Robinson are taking their popular Quiz and Some Other Shizz format rural, with the first Rural Edition being held at Terrace Downs in partnership with Mid Canterbury and North Canterbury Rural Support Trusts. Mid Canterbury and North Canterbury Rural Support Trust is teaming up with men’s wellbeing charity BetterMan for a different kind of rural mental health event, one built around quizzes, competition, humour and a good nig
Aug 133 min read
Prepare now, not later: what El Niño could mean for New Zealand farmers
“We know the average outcome of El Niño, but no El Niño is average.” That is the message from Earth Sciences New Zealand Chief Scientist Weather and Seasonal Forecasting Chris Brandolino, as farmers begin preparing for what could be one of the strongest El Niño events on record. Earth Sciences New Zealand has confirmed El Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific and expects the climate driver to strongly influence New Zealand’s weather through spring, summer and
Aug 106 min read
Howdy: The dating app tackling rural loneliness, one farmer at a time
Howdy founder Mia Ryan launched the rural-focused dating app after struggling to meet like-minded people while living and working in regional Australia. Supplied If you’ve spent any time on modern dating apps, chances are you’ve seen it all before. Dead pig photos. Fish photos. Gym selfies. Bios demanding “someone who doesn’t take life too seriously”. Conversations that start with “hey” and end in ghosting. Now imagine trying to navigate all of that from the middle of rural N
Aug 36 min read
Simplicity on the Plate
Rosa Power (right) and Margo Flanagan say the idea behind Two Raw Sisters has always been about simplifying wellness and helping people feel good through practical, nourishing food. How Two Raw Sisters are helping New Zealanders rethink food, wellbeing and the cost of living For Margo Flanagan, the answer to feeling better was never found in another diet, wellness trend or expensive health hack. It was found in simplicity. In slowing down. In learning how to use what was alr
Aug 36 min read
Kane turns succession challenge into award-winning plan
West Otago dairy farmer Luke Kane receives the 2026 Rabobank Dr John Morris Business Development Prize from Rabobank’s Elio Pegorer at the Executive Development Programme awards evening. Supplied. West Otago dairy farmer Luke Kane has taken out a prestigious trans-Tasman farming award, winning the 2026 Rabobank Dr John Morris Business Development Prize. The award is presented through Rabobank’s Executive Development Programme (EDP) and recognises an outstanding business devel
Aug 33 min read
The money conversations rural women need to have
Amy Po-Ching says financial confidence starts with understanding your position, knowing what you own, what you owe and where you want to go financially. Supplied. When Levridge founder and financial adviser Amy Po-Ching stood in front of a room full of women at the Women in Seed Forum in Christchurch last month, the discussion quickly turned from KiwiSaver and investing to women can feel uncomfortable talking about : financial independence. But it’s a conversation worth havin
Jul 274 min read
MentalHunts aiming to break down barriers around mental health and firearms
Glen Thurston speaking at the NZDA conference as part of ongoing conversations around mental health, firearm safety and help-seeking within the hunting community. Supplied. For MentalHunts co-founder Glen Thurston, the conversations around mental health and firearms legislation deeply personal. The father, builder and passionate hunter has spent much of his life navigating depression, burnout and alcohol abuse. Those experiences eventually led him to launch MentalHunts alongs
Jul 274 min read
Supreme win caps remarkable five years for Kylie Dorr
Kylie Dorr (center) receiving her award for Supreme Winner of the 2026 NZI Rural Women Business Awards at Parliament from NZI’s Christina Chellow (right) and Kylie’s supporter and mother Sandy Dorr (Left). Kylie Dorr admits she was in shock when her name was called as the Supreme Winner of the 2026 NZI Rural Women Business Awards. The owner of Southern Reproductive had already taken out the Emerging Enterprise category at the awards before being named the overall winner at
Jul 244 min read
Opening the Gate Early: Why rural wellbeing support needs to feel practical, private and easier to access
For years, rural New Zealand has been told to “speak up” and “reach out” when things get tough. But for many people living and working in the country, asking for help is rarely that simple. Isolation, workload pressure, financial stress, relationship strain and the deeply ingrained culture of simply “getting on with it” can all become barriers long before someone ever reaches crisis point. That is where Fiona McCracken believes things need to change. After years working acros
Jul 204 min read
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